This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

[Domenic T.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich,
See if it holds pressure before taking anything apart. Do it the cheapest way.

Dom

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich,
See if it holds pressure before taking anything apart. Do it the cheapest way.

Dom

Dom, Yes what you say makes sense. It'll be a while before I check back in on this but will certainly let you know how it goes. Thanks again for all you do to help all of us.

Rich
PS Found another A6 a buddy gave me years ago. I'll post some pics in a new thread.... HERE

[Domenic T.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich,
The oil from the grease should be than comp oil, and you may find it under the comp with little on the hood. Comp oil is thin and my guess when I feel the bearing grease oil is that it is about 50W.

Dom

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich,
The oil from the grease should be than comp oil, and you may find it under the comp with little on the hood. Comp oil is thin and my guess when I feel the bearing grease oil is that it is about 50W.

Dom

Dom, Then I think it's bearing grease by the feel.

I'm planning to get it cleaned up and to get it tested next Weds.

Thanks,
Rich

[Domenic T.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Ritch,
They do not know that over packing will cause hydraulic heat, plus what ever grease they use. Now have not found bad pulley bearings. They survive!

Dom

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Ritch,
They do not know that over packing will cause hydraulic heat, plus what ever grease they use. Now have not found bad pulley bearings. They survive!

Dom

Dom, Yes those bearings are robust. But when I had this one apart in 2001 when restoring the car I decided to replace it. Got it at my local Chevy dealer. I think I actually saved the original as it was still good and hoarded it as a emergency replacement if I ever needed it.

Rich

[Domenic T.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Joe Lucia had a comment on the bearings and as I remember he liked the KOYO that were made in Japan, and I think he said the China ones were also good.
For a while my suppliers were selling KOYO which had black seals. I ask for them but I get green seals that say Santech which is one of my the name of one of my suppliers. Then some that seem original are green. Being a double bearing they all seem to be good and not worn. Getting parts ordered is not easy any more. The green O-rings in the kit are for both 134 and 12, but there is not a oil tube O-ring in any of the kits.
The ceramic seal shows a green O-ring and it comes with a black one. Not only is it black but it is flat from the spring pressure on it. I have to take the ceramic seal apart and put a green O-ring that has it's original shape.
There are also 2 ceramic seal kits. One says metal which is ceramic against high carbon steel. The other is ceramic against ceramic. I find the metal in the earlier compressors and only use them because I had ceramic to ceramic chip when seated in the front cover O-ring. when you go to push it in it snaps into place and can chip like glass. In the rebuilds none of the ceramic seal surfaces show wear, it's the O-ring that fails. \

Dom

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Update.... Happy to report the A6 compressor, and the system is alive and well. Yesterday morning under test, evidence of some refrigerant pressure still there, a good sign. Then held vacuum just fine. Charged with 36 oz of R134A (75% of the normal R12 spec amount in this system which is 2.5 to 3 lbs, as explained to me by my friend who owns the shop).

Held pressure just fine. At idle we got around 58* at the vents. We decided to leave it as is for now and see how it holds out. When I left I stopped for gas and a Napa store pickup, then a good ride up our 55 MPH Route 1 road along the Intracoastal highway here on the east coast of Florida. About 90* ambient and very humid. AC was blowing cold and cooled the cabin like a refrigerator again. I forgot to get a AC vent thermometer at Napa so unsure of actual vent temp at speed, but it felt icy cold.

Rich

[Larry M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich:

R12 refrigerant uses mineral oil in the system. R134a takes PAG oil, and does not mix with mineral oil. Ester oil (which very few use) can be used for both R12 and R134a.

So if you simply added R134a into a R12 system, expect some issues with incompatibility.........and well as possible faster refrigerant leakage out of the system due to R134a being a smaller molecule. R134a also uses different o-rings than R12.

Will this result in a total failure of the compressor down the road?? I do not know, but not having the correct refrigerant and oil together can result in problems. Some have lucked out and others have not. The A6 compressor has its own oil system, so it might well be tough enough to take it.

FWIW.

Larry

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Yes thanks Larry, I have concerns too and this will be temporary to verify it'll hold pressure. Plan to evac R134A very soon and go back to R12.

Rich

[Domenic T.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich,
This is good news. There is a oil that will work with both 12 & 134. it also claims less corrosion (rust) mainly. As I mentioned before mineral base oil does NOT prevent rust. As a matter of fact I think it actually absorbs water!
2 things, talked to a home a/c guy and his school said "yes, you can mix", but when we recycle we cannot seperate and resale it! I have mixed with no problems.
Your comp shaft has 3 ports that pressurized oil is used. (1 & 2) one at each shaft bearing. (3) one at the front seal. All lubricate the drive plate (swash plate) and pistons. There are oil holes behind the ring on each piston to lube the ring. The gas does what a 2 stroke does to also lube the pistons.
I am sure your brass piston slides were stuck to the swash plate, see the pattern all the time. That actually will buff out on the swash plate, but is not necessary to take one apart to do so. The brass and hardened swash plate just get to like each other and do not argue or cause damage. Failure on seal are the 2 O-rings that seal them. ALL seals (front) would work again with new O-rings. So maybe a stop leak, something to swell the O-rings will get you another 10 years. Yes sounds like BuBa but works.
In the past I put a good shot of propane in my system. FIRST thing was "do you know that that is flamable"? Yes, I know, so is the gasoline going in the carb, not to mention that oil also burns. Well that (propane ) was called a hot shot. I actually used liquid propane to instantly freeze parts for bearing installation, and especially installing a new flywheel ring.
Good luck with this and here is a oil that will work with both.
Hope I got the right file.

Dom

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Thanks for helping Dom and with the additional info. I'm going to pickup my AC thermometer at Napa today and do some more testing. I'll let you know. Ultimately I want to go back to the R12, as I've researched to be cooler than the R134A. This old coupe really needs it as it gets very hot in the cabin.

Also, I'm going to be forced to learn how to test these better. I got myself a set of gauges at Napa the other day and decided it's time to learn more about AC. I've always been a bit apprehensive about auto AC systems, but it's now time to learn. It's a R134A setup but I have a few late models that need attention and I want to test and service them myself.

Rich

[Larry M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Thanks for helping Dom and with the additional info. I'm going to pickup my AC thermometer at Napa today and do some more testing. I'll let you know. Ultimately I want to go back to the R12, as I've researched to be cooler than the R134A. This old coupe really needs it as it gets very hot in the cabin.

Also, I'm going to be forced to learn how to test these better. I got myself a set of gauges at Napa the other day and decided it's time to learn more about AC. I've always been a bit apprehensive about auto AC systems, but it's now time to learn. It's a R134A setup but I have a few late models that need attention and I want to test and service them myself.

Rich

Rich:

We can make either refrigerant work well in these early systems, but to do a conversion correctly will take some changes and some $$. If you have R12 available and can do the charging etc by yourself, then that is the best way.

In my opinion, you must be self sufficient to keep these older cars with AC operating well. Hiring it out is problematic and frustrating. We can help you learn and become the Florida area expert.

Larry

[Richard M.]

Re: This is what the A-6 compressor drain plug is for!

Rich:

We can make either refrigerant work well in these early systems, but to do a conversion correctly will take some changes and some $$. If you have R12 available and can do the charging etc by yourself, then that is the best way.

In my opinion, you must be self sufficient to keep these older cars with AC operating well. Hiring it out is problematic and frustrating. We can help you learn and become the Florida area expert.

Larry

Yes I definitely want R12 back in there. I didn't get a chance to drive the car today but will check in when I do.

I'm looking forward to learn as soon as I can.

Rich